Man arrested for attempting to build small army for ISIS

Rutherford, New Jersey – 20 year old Nader Saadeh was seeking to draw together a “small army” of ISIS fighters in New Jersey and New York, according to the FBI. He left the country on May 5 to join ISIS. He was arrested in Jordan first, and then here on Monday, when he arrived back to the U.S. He was charged with conspiracy and seeking to join a terrorist organization.

Starting a terror cell

Saadeh is a dual citizen of both the U.S. and Jordan. He started posting anti-American remarks on social media in 2012. His brother Alaa and a several others both from New Jersey and New York were arrested previously for their connection to terrorist activities.

According to the charging document, Nader is accused of “conspiring with other individuals in New Jersey and New York to provide material support to ISIL and with attempting to provide material support to ISIL.” He was scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. EDT before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor of the District of New Jersey.

The charging document states that Nader praised the death of the Jordanian pilot who was burned to death by ISIS, saying that he was a “traitor”, as well as saying that the attack at Charlie Hebdo was “justified.”

The FBI stated that he began drawing others together over the last two years, hoping to amass a group of fighters for ISIS. An informant assisted the agency in gathering intel regarding the cell that had been formed.

According to the informant, Saadeh had become a radicalized ISIS supporter by April and planned to travel overseas to join them. He flew out of John F. Kennedy International Airport on May 5, allegedly for that purpose. Emails sent to him from his family members overseas, including his mother, pleaded with him not to join ISIS, according to federal officials.